Nebraska baseball coach Will Bolt signs lucrative contract extension

On Tuesday, Nebraska announced it has signed a five-year contract extension with baseball head coach Will Bolt. The contract will run through 2029 and increase his annual salary to $500,000.

“We are pleased to have Will Bolt as the leader of our baseball program well into the future,” Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen said. “Will has been a big part of the success of Nebraska Baseball over the past two decades, not only as the head coach, but also as an assistant coach and player.

“Through his past experiences, he knows what it takes to win at Nebraska and has a great vision to continue to elevate our program in the coming years.”

Under Bolt’s leadership, Nebraska finished the 2024 campaign with a 40-22 overall record and a 16-8 mark in conference play. The team also won the Big Ten Tournament last season for the first time since joining the prestigious conference in the 2012-13 season.

The Cornhuskers’ 2024 season came to an end in the Stillwater Regional when they fell to Florida twice. Bolt was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2021 and first accepted the head coaching position in 2020.

Since then, he has compiled 137 wins, which ranks sixth all-time in program history. Bolt has boasted the Huskers to two conference titles and a pair of NCAA regional appearances while producing four All-Americans and nine MLB draft picks, including six Huskers drafted in the top five rounds.

In the 2024 MLB Draft, the Seattle Mariners selected catcher Josh Caron in the fourth round and the Atlanta Braves picked up 2024 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Brett Sears in the seventh round. Bolt couldn’t be happier to solidify his future at Nebraska.

“I would like to thank athletic director Troy Dannen and deputy athletic director Dennis Leblanc for their confidence in our leadership and the direction of our program,” Bolt said. “There is a lot of momentum with our program, and I am grateful for the dedication of our coaching staff, the hard work and commitment of our players, and the incredible support of our fan base.”

Bolt plans on continuing to build on Nebraska’s momentum. The 44-year-old head coach moved Rob Childress back to an on-field role as pitching coach while hiring former Wichita State assistant Mike Sirianni as a full-time assistant.

The decision have already paid dividends. Nebraska’s next three incoming recruiting classes are all currently ranked in the top 65 nationally by Perfect Game.